ME: I was born in West Plains, Missouri. I grew up in the Midwest (Missouri and Indiana) and will always consider myself a Midwesterner, more specifically, a Hoosier. Yes, that's right. I'm from the great state of Indiana, where basketball and corn fields rule. But I spent most of my childhood playing some form of baseball--some days it was stick ball, others it was whiffle ball--and going to church. My dad is a minister, so going to church was our "normal."
School was not kind to me. Or should I say, I was not kind to school. I was a class clown and never made outstanding grades. The funny thing is, I really enjoyed reading, just not the books teachers wanted me to read. When I wasn't outside playing baseball, you could usually find me on the couch with a book--probably Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (by Roald Dahl) or something similar. Eventually, I turned the corner and became a decent student, and to this day I love learning more than almost anything. I guess it goes to show that not every child is destined for straight A's or the top of the class.
I graduated from Indiana University, where I played baseball and wrote stories. My favorite two classes were ornithology (studying birds) and creative writing. And believe it or not, I use both of those skills almost every day. Funny how life works.
I graduated from Indiana University, where I played baseball and wrote stories. My favorite two classes were ornithology (studying birds) and creative writing. And believe it or not, I use both of those skills almost every day. Funny how life works.
Now I'm all grown up and live in Los Angeles with my family. When I'm not teaching middle schoolers and writing stories, I like these things: Reading. Movies. Running. Kids. Family. Sports. Laughing. All that stuff gives me life and makes me want to live forever.
MYSELF: Let me outta here!
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My favorite Middle Grade Books and Recommended Reading List:
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Wringer, by Jerry Spinelli
Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli
Eggs, by Jerry Spinelli
A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park
Keeping Score, by Linda Sue Park
Waiting for Normal, by Leslie Connor
Mockingbird, by Katherine Erskine
The Fourth Stall series, by Chris Rylander
When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead
Liar & Spy, by Rebecca Stead
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
Bigger than a Breadbox, by Laurel Snyder
Out of My Mind, by Sharon M. Draper
One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams Garcia
Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt
Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen
Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, by Gary D. Schmidt
The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt
Okay for Now, by Gary D. Schmidt
A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness
The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate
Savvy, by Ingrid Law
Heart of a Samurai, by Margi Preus
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My Other Talent:
From a young age, I was destined for artistic success. Even my art teacher knew it. See? Look at the self portraits? You'll notice that I'm particularly good at drawing disproportionate humans with oversized hands. If you need someone to illustrate that, I'm available. My fees vary, depending on the time it takes to tweak the disproportions.
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Things I think I like (in no particular order).
1. Dunkin Donuts Coffee
2. Inappropriate statements that don't cross the line but make people uncomfortable (especially ones from my two year-old daughter)
3. Facebook
4. Baseball
5. Playoff baseball (there is a difference)
6. Pepperoni Pizza
7. Buffalo chicken anything
8. A River Runs Through It
9. Cold weather
10. Skiing
Read the rest...
